When you first decide to take the step from bitter garbage coffee (I think the supermarkets call it ‘instant’) into the world of fresh delicious coffee, it can be difficult to know which of the vast quantity of coffee-related gadgets you might need or which style of coffee preparation will become your method of choice. The first step is to get yourself a coffee grinder - unless you fancy doing it by hand, this will be a necessary starting point for every cup of coffee you’re going to make in your new, ‘proper coffee’ life. The Bistro Electric Coffee Grinder is a good place to start, as a reasonably priced and capable entry level grinder.
The main body is reasonably compact (17.8w x 27.5h x 16.3d cm), but the coffee bean container is wider, so may take up a bit of space on smaller worktops and be slightly more difficult to squeeze into the cupboard when not in use. The Bistro features a Burr Grinder, which crushes the beans between stainless steel conical burrs rather than using a blade to slice them; this not only helps to preserve the beans flavour and aroma, but unlike a blade, it will provide a consistent and even grind with every bean and requires zero sharpening. The controls are pretty fool-proof, with a push button and a pre-set timer that allows you to grind the exact amount of coffee needed to reduce wastage and keep the remaining beans fresh and ready for next time. The grind is adjustable, so you can experiment with making Espresso or French Press coffee with a simple twist of the dial. This grinder comes equipped with a friction clutch, which prevents damage to the grinding gear through the presence of small stones. The coffee grinds are collected in to a borosilicate glass catcher that reduces the static cling of coffee grounds, and there is a wide silicone band wrapped around the middle of the glass that helps you grip the container even when wet whilst washing up.
The Bistro has a 240ml capacity and comes in a range of colours, from the simple to the bold and bright and everything in between. Iit is easy to clean and needs minimal assembly. You aren’t going to find an endless list of functions here, but what you do get (for not a lot of money) is a consistent, even grind on any setting, anti-static construction and a durable build quality, making it a good choice for starting out on your coffee connoisseur journey. RRP £160
4.5 out of 5
Pros
Stainless steel conical burr grinder
Easy to use
Push button, pre-set timer
Adjustable grind (Espresso to French Press)
Colourful, compact, space-saving design pairs perfectly with e-BODUM’s BISTRO collection of kettles and coffeemakers
Friction clutch
Simple to clean
Borosilicate glass catcher
Anti-static materials
Cons
Limited functions
Not the most compact for storage
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